Homeless people in temporary accommodation provided by the council are usually exempt.

Ask your council or housing association if you are not sure about exemptions.

How many bedrooms can you get housing benefit for?

You can usually only claim housing benefit for:

one bedroom for a couple

one bedroom for a person aged 16 or over

one bedroom for two children aged under 16 of the same sex

one bedroom for two children aged under 10 (boys and girls are expected to share a room)

one bedroom for any other child

one extra bedroom if you or your partner needs an overnight carer to stay

Young people and students

A child is usually counted as living in the home of the person who receives their child benefit.

A maximum of one extra room is allowed for approved foster carers who foster a child or children. You can keep the room allowance for an empty room set aside for a foster child if you became an approved foster carer or have fostered a child in the last 12 months.

An adopted child or children is counted for the room allowance once an adoption order is made.

For students away from home, a room is counted providing they are away for less than 52 weeks and intend to return home.

Children with disabilities

A severely disabled child who needs their own room isn't required to share.

Tell your council if this applies to your family.

The council should take into account the severity of a child's disability (including medical evidence and whether the child receives disability living allowance) and how regularly another child's sleep would be disturbed if they shared a room.

Armed forces

You don't have to pay bedroom tax for a room usually occupied by your son or daughter who is a member of the armed forces and serving away from home, providing they intend to return to your home.